How much do Nutritionists make?

Average Salary and Wage for Nutritionists

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2013, the average annual salary for nutritionists was $56,300. On the other hand, non-salaried nutritionists earned an average hourly wage of $27.07 in that same year. Of course salary earning potentials are often dependent on a series of factors including a nutritionist’s level of formal education, amount of previous experience, and certification status.

Since a nutritionist’s salary is contingent often several variable, individuals aspiring to build a career in this profession should be aware of salary percentiles. Here are the average salary percentiles for nutritionists employed in the United States:

10 percentile: $33,980

25 percentile: $44,400

50 percentile: $55,920

75 percentile: $68,490

90 percentile: $78,720

Career Demand

Recent statistics published by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, indicate that more than 78 million adults and 12.5 million adolescents and children suffer from obesity in the United States. By 2030, approximately 115 million adults are expected to be obese. This figure represents nearly half of the adult population in the nation. To prevent the prevalence of obesity in America, many individuals and businesses are hiring preventive health care professionals, such as nutritionists.

Nutritionist Salary By State

Industry of Employment Impacts Nutritionist Salaries

A nutritionist’s salary may also be influenced by their industry of employment. Recent studies conducted by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that in 2013, the industries that paid the highest salaries to nutritionists included: grantmaking and giving services, federal executive branch (OES designation), office administrative services, insurance carriers, and home health care services. The average annual salaries for nutritionists employed in these industries are as follows:

Grantmaking and giving services:

$71,400

Federal executive brand (OES designation):

$69,220

Office administrative services:

$66,210

Insurance carriers:

$64,450

Home health care services:

$63,740

Geographic Location Impacts Nutritionist Salaries

The demand for nutritionists is inconsistent from place to place. As such, jobseeking nutritionists often search for job opportunities in locations with high salary averages for their profession. Salary expectations for nutritionists have a tendency to shift across different states, metropolitan areas, and nonmetropolitan areas alike. For example, here are the average annual salaries for nutritionists employed in the top paying states in the country:

California:

$71,870

Nevada:

$70,580

Hawaii:

$64,150

Maryland:

$64,120

Connecticut:

$63,820

Since metropolitan areas are characterized by a high population density, more nutritionists are demanded to accommodate the health care needs of larger masses in these areas than in more rural communities. As a result of this demand, nutritionists may experience higher salaries in metropolitan locations. The five highest paying metropolitan areas for nutritionists in the country are:

Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA:

$82,510/yr.

Vallejo-Fairfield, CA:

$80,730/yr.

Las Vegas-Paradise, NV:

$78,160/yr.

San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA:

$77,890/yr.

Salinas, CA :

$76,580/yr.

Nonmetropolitan areas are usually home to low population densities; as a result, there are fewer individuals and businesses available to employ nutritionists. Of course, there are still several nonmetropolitan areas throughout the country that offer nutritionists higher-than-average annual salaries. The five highest paying nonmetropolitan areas for nutritionists in the country are: